[2016 RBS Six Nations] Round 1: Scotland vs. England (06/02/2016)

[McTallshort]

Well Jones's first language is English so that should help.

Is it not Japanese?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This is my feeling.

To be fair, it could easily happen:

Haskell gets man shamed at the breakdown by whoever Scotland play at 7 and also gets carded for bone headedness (either repeated ruck infringements or a trip or something),

Hartley gets a ban for checking whether a Scottish player has his contact lens' in properly,

Goode gets caught out of position repeatedly as he lacks the pace to cover enough ground to defend at 15 internationally - he leaks several tries to almost lose us the game, as Stuart Hogg literally cartwheels past him, with the ball tucked under one arm.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

So, the forecast is cold, windy and possibly wet i.e Edinburgh in any month apart from August. It's not going to be expansive, it never is. Ford is out of form and has forgotten how to tackle. So how on earth is he the right man for this? Surely Fazlet was the call with Hill, or even Devoto, at 12 on a basic brief to carry hard in a straight line and make his tackles.

Will Clifford be understudying 8?

The back line's not over pacey and nor are the subs. Kick, chase and repeat.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/eddie-jones-doesnt-care-england-10824684

The Welsh media is hilarious.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I wonder if they have an "English Arrogance" department, specifically for stories covering all degrees of English arrogance. This includes:

- Winning
- Losing
- Talking
- Picking up the ball
- Being alive

 

[MojoPin]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/eddie-jones-doesnt-care-england-10824684

The Welsh media is hilarious.

Hilarious for most, humiliating for the Welsh. Sigh.

 

[YoungScud]

The words Richard and head come to mind. I f England are no good what do you call the lower ranks. You play well with other things it would seem, let's see if you can free your hands long enough to beat us. In that instance I will admit England must be cr*p.

Possibly, and I only say possibly, you might waant to read again what the guy actually posted. Then you may be able to remove your head from your arse and switch off the torch.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Typical Walesonline TBH.

 

[TommiG88]

Clifford must be coming on as a Haskell replacement.

Still can't believe I'm going to see Ford at 10. They guy is so badly off form although if he tackles around the ankles I am fine with him. Hopefully the coaches have had a word with him.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Jones has also said he sees Tuilagi as a possible 12. From what I've seen of Devoto this season, he has been nothing more than average and behind Eastmond in the bath pecking order.

Potentially a better player than Eastmond in my opinion, although never given the opportunity to prove it with being behind him in the pecking order and messed around and made to paly every position in the backline except wing at some point.

Potentially doesn't qualify him for England though.

Worth pointing out that Jones wants continuity inasmuch as this possible. He needs to make sure we have an OK Six Nations, and he doesn't want to act too hastily in binning guys.

Which means I think that in tight calls he is likely to side with the incumbent.
Perhaps theres some sense in this - he doesn't want to go flip flopping between two players.

Therefore Joseph, who hasn't done much wrong for England, is chosen over Daly even though the later is the one in form. Just an example... This doesn't mean Daly won't come to be preferred in the not too distant future, but right now Joseph is seen as the stable choice.

Probably not a bad idea.

Joseph over Daly isn't an issue (bias aside) because Joseph has proved himself to be international class. I agree Daly "deserves" a shot, but at the end of the day selecting a team is not about "deserves" it's about the strongest team collectively. That includes not making too many changes and losing continuity; if you limit the number of changes you wish to make, dropping Joseph for a debutant doesn't make any sense, regardless of that debutant's domestic form.

It's the decision to pick Haskell which rankles with me, because that is a personnel change, bringing in a player who isn't good enough. You're already moving your 7 to 6, why the hell bring in another 6.5 (especially after explicitly questioning that "6.5" thing in a press conference) who is provably not quite up to it internationally?! I'm trying to give Jones the benefit of the doubt, and he does deserve the chance to show that his way can work better than the past, but there's a lot of the same issuies there. And I haven't even mentioned Goode or f*cking Hartley.

Ennit.


I obviously want us to win but I want Haskell Hartley and Goode to have shockers so we can bin them off

This is my feeling.

Third that opinion. Isn't the international window nice, when supporters of all different clubs can come together under the one banner of b*tching and moaning about the national team.

Christ, those Welsh or others who think the English are arrogant really should have a look at us tearing our new coach and his selections to shresds before a single game has been played!

 

[Crapspray]

Just for all the English feeling pessimistic/underwhelmed after the squad announcement, this is what played against Wales in the World Cup (--> replacements):

1. Marler
2. Youngs --> Hartley
3. Cole
4. Parling --> Launchbury
5. Lawes --> Kruis
6. Wood --> Robshaw
7. Robshaw --> Haskell
8. Vunipola

9. Youngs --> Care
10. Farrell --> Ford
11. May --> Nowell
12. Burgess --> Farrell
13. Barritt --> Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

16. Webber --> George
17. Vunipola
18. Brookes --> Hill
19. Launchbury --> Lawes/Itoje
20. Haskell --> Clifford
21. Wigglesworth --> Youngs
22. Ford --> Devoto
23. Goode

Sixteen changes in total; nine personnel (excluding Itoje); three (or four) new caps. Of all those changes I'd say that only Hill is worse than the player he replaces. Youngs vs. Hartley is very subjective, given their differing strengths/styles, but I could accept Hartley as the weaker on current form.

Otherwise, the starting pack is bigger and stronger, in better form, and with better balance at lock. The halfbacks are better overall, centres better in attack and defence (Barritt being a slow, revolving-door at 13 and Burgess a novice at 12), and the bench has better impact players.

The only glaring weaknesses to me are a lack of power in the centres and no dedicated openside (plus ca change...).

 

[Crapspray]

And since I can't think of anything else to do on my afternoon off, this is Lancaster's first team against Scotland four years ago:

1. Corbisiero
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Botha (lol)
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Robshaw
8. Dowson (lol)

9. Youngs
10. Hodgson (lol)
11. Strettle (lol)
12. Farrell (I'd laugh, but... you know)
13. Barritt (lol)
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Webber
17. Stevens (lol)
18. Parling
19. Morgan
20. Dickson (lol)
21. Turner-Hall (roflmao)
22. Brown

Funniest thing of all? They still beat Scotland. #TartanPlebs

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Lol at half backs better overall.

 

[YoungScud]

So here's what happened. I put £1 in the vending machine at work and selected a 70p packet of crisps. It took a couple of swift kicks to get the bugger to give me them, then I realised it hadn't given me my 30p change. The display read 'please make another selction', so I did (dark chocolate Bounty). I got the bounty and the 30p! The relevance of all this? Well, it's obvious. With omens like that, it's got to be a Grand Slam year.

 

[Geordie]

Haskell takes a lot of stick from his international performances. They have never matched what he does at club level - mostly due to consistency.

But on his day he is a bruising tackler, and a hard carrying flanker. Keep his job very basic and he should thrive like he does for Wasps.
Jones is Mr Instructions and will surely give Haskell a strict easy role to understand. Get to the breakdown quick. Get in place and stay there. Don't try to be too smart like a specialist 7! And in defence...just slow down Scottish ball every chance you get.

For Japan he never player an out and out 7.

It may work out surprisingly well....or it may be a horror show....but.we wont know how it will come off until 4.50 on Saturday

 

[RedruthRFC]

Almost by virtue of their physiques the very best locks have been totemic figure for their sides - Johnson, P O'C, AWJ etc. We have no-one remotely approaching that sort of stature.

I've been beating this drum on this forum from time to time since the World Cup if not before (and to a fair degree been shouted down). Coming off the back of the World Cup, there appears to be a blueprint for a world class lock which a reasonable bit larger than anyone in the EPS. I floated the idea that it's a result of the academy system getting so hung up on fitness test results and effectively ending up weeding out the behemoths. Since reading what Dave Attwood had to say about Lancaster's administration, maybe they, or the overall coaching mindset in England are to blame. Given how few people per capita have the stature to play lock internationally, you would think that this should be an area where England are on top of the world given the size of the player pool.

I thought Lawes had the potential to reach that level, but sadly he's regressed. Launch is an excellent player and undisputed first choice, but I don't think he's destined for the real stratosphere unless he can add some leadership qualities; maybe those will come with another 30 caps. The rest are all very good players, but much of a muchness. Itoje has something, but still looks more like a 6 to me.

+1 again. I went totally overboard about Lawes' potential when he hit the scene, for whatever reason he has failed to come close to my ambitions for him. I'm coming around to Itoje at lock, but stick by what I've said in the past, if he is to become a world class player, it's more likely to happen at 6.

 

[Geordie]

I think the pack is a decent size we are putting out. Lots of physical players who may not be quite as good technically at turn overs etc , but are very good at disrupting opposition ball, holding players up and ripping the ball in the tackle.

Will be interesting to see ho it works against the likely 2 7's combo Scotland will play.

 

[Saint4805]

Will be interesting to see ho it works against the likely 2 7's combo Scotland will play.

It will be very interesting. From a Scottish perspective I'm really looking forward to seeing how Hardie fares on Saturday after a solid WC and some excellent displays for Edinburgh this season. Same applies to WP Nel who has really helped shore up our scrum and did brilliantly against the Aussies in the WC.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I think the pack is a decent size we are putting out. Lots of physical players who may not be quite as good technically at turn overs etc , but are very good at disrupting opposition ball, holding players up and ripping the ball in the tackle.

Will be interesting to see ho it works against the likely 2 7's combo Scotland will play.

It's fairly lumpy, but if you were picking a Lions pack now, how many would be in it or on the bench?

 

[JJFlash]

Ennit.


I obviously want us to win but I want Haskell Hartley and Goode to have shockers so we can bin them off

Here, here!